Two unbeaten Premier League records are at stake this Saturday afternoon at Anfield, where Liverpool will host Nottingham Forest.
Before the international break, Arne Slot's Liverpool cruised to a dominant 3-0 win over Manchester United, while Nottingham Forest settled for a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Despite the focus being on Mohamed Salah's brilliance against United, the Egyptian star fueled speculation about his future, hinting that the 2024-25 season could be his last in a Liverpool shirt.
If Salah does leave in nine months, he’ll do so after once again terrorizing Man United. In that match, he assisted Luis Diaz twice and added a goal himself, continuing his incredible form at Old Trafford.
Slot’s Liverpool side has started the season strongly, winning their first three league matches, something Jurgen Klopp only managed once in his eight full seasons at the club. Liverpool’s hot start has put them just behind Manchester City on goal difference at the top of the table.
Slot could make Premier League history this weekend if he keeps a fourth consecutive clean sheet, something no manager has done in their first four games in the competition’s history since 1992.
The last manager to win their first four league games clean sheets aside was Maurizio Sarri with Chelsea in 2018. Additionally, it’s been 10 years since Liverpool lost a home game right after an international break, with Aston Villa pulling off that upset in 2014.
Nottingham Forest, under Nuno Espirito Santo, have also avoided defeat so far in the Premier League this season. They head into this match with two draws and one win, having earned a point against Bournemouth and edged out Southampton before their 1-1 draw with Wolves, where Chris Wood’s header was canceled out by a stunning strike from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
Forest is one of two teams to have drawn two of their first three matches, the other being Bournemouth. Santo’s men sit in ninth place, a position that their fans would happily accept at the end of the season.
Including their final-day win over Burnley last season, Forest is unbeaten in four Premier League games, the best run they’ve had under Santo. They’ve also won their last three away games, a feat they haven’t extended to four since 1995.
Liverpool, on the other hand, have won their last three Premier League meetings with Forest. The last time Nottingham Forest beat Liverpool at Anfield was back in 1969 when Bill Shankly was in charge.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Federico Chiesa was eligible to make his Liverpool debut in the recent thrashing of Manchester United, but he was held back to work on his fitness. However, the former Juventus forward could get his first taste of action for the Reds from the bench this weekend.
There's also hope that Curtis Jones will recover from his groin injury in time for the game, and Alexis Mac Allister, who had a minor adductor issue while on international duty with Argentina, is expected to start on Saturday.
Unfortunately, Liverpool will be without Harvey Elliott, who reportedly broke his foot. The injury could keep the versatile 21-year-old out for six to eight weeks, leaving Mohamed Salah without one of his key backups as he aims to net his fourth goal in as many games this season.
While Liverpool might see a new face on the field, Nottingham Forest could hand debuts to James Ward-Prowse and Morato. Ward-Prowse is more likely to start, though, as Forest prepares for the clash.
Forest isn’t dealing with too many injuries, with only two players sidelined. Danilo is recovering from an ankle injury he picked up on the opening weekend, and defender Willy Boly is out after hurting his calf on international duty.
Meanwhile, Chris Wood will be aiming to break his league goal drought against Liverpool, having failed to score in his previous 11 attempts against the Reds. This weekend will mark his 12th shot at finding the net against his former club.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Aina; Ward-Prowse, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
EXPERT PREDICTION
Liverpool 3-0 Nottingham Forrest
It's still early days for Arne Slot at Liverpool, but so far, so good! The team looks solid, and it's hard to spot any weaknesses. They should be able to handle Nottingham Forest, who tend to keep things tight and low-scoring.
The international break might have slowed things down a bit, but Liverpool's momentum should still be strong. It's likely that Slot's perfect record will remain intact, and Forest will head back home without any points.
